Contractor, electrical regs tabled

By Mike HelenthalOf The Star Courier

Tuesday

Apr 10, 2018 at 8:16 PM

Council seeks input onnew construction rules

The Kewanee City Council tabled two ordinances Monday that would have amended the city’s electrician licensing rules and created a contractor registry.Keith Edwards, Kewanee’s public works and operations manager, said the addition of the registry was because of an increasing number of residents asking the city for a registered contractor when repairs are needed.“As I researched other cities, I found this to be a more common practice than not,” he wrote in his agenda item presentation.The city already keeps a list of roofing and electrical contractors, but the new regulations would do that for all types of contractors.Requiring contractor registration would entail proof of insurance and would only apply to those conducting work that required a city building permit.A fee of $25 or $50 has been suggested, though that was not finalized in Edwards presentation.“In exchange for a registration fee, their name would be included on the list of all registered contractors,” Edwards stated. He said the city would not recommend one contractor over another, only confirm that they meet registration requirements.“The contractor registration is meant to ensure that contractors performing work are made aware of our requirements under multiple building codes and have a certain amount of public liability and property damage insurance to protect both the City and our customers,” City Manager Gary Bradley stated in his summary. “It does not prohibit anyone from working on their own property and does not prohibit a ‘handyman’ from working on small projects or items that do not require permitting.”Bradley said that initial “poor communication” from the city on the contractor registration issue had caused “tension.”He said that one of the values of the registration is that it can be revoked if city inspections show a contractor isn’t meeting city codes, and it gives contractors a process to have a revoked status reinstated.Several electricians attending the meeting said they supported the contractor registration system and said the fee was not unreasonable. Recommendations included ensuring the certifications are reciprocal in other cities where they may do work.Edwards said the changes being proposed in the code, but that were tabled along with the contractor registry, include methods for verifying testing, the expanded ability for residents to do their own work on their own property, and “verification of financial responsibility,” which Edwards said would improve the city’s ISO rating.He said the city already has updated its codes, which hadn’t been done since 1997, and had improved its procedures to ensure a more streamlined process that still focuses on safety.“We’re trying to eliminate confusion and make these homes safer,” he said. “It’s just documenting what we’re already doing.”In other business the council:n Questioned a cost overrun for the concrete pad poured at the new animal pound location by Grabbe Concrete.City staff said the original estimate of $12,000 for the work had to be changed because of extra work caused by the need for additional fill and plumbing locating.The final cost ended up being around $17,000.Bradley said that several donations had been made for the new facility, which he said he hopes offsets the higher-than-expected concrete cost.n Approved a $46,000 bill for the emergency repair of an old section of the sewer system on Maple Ave. and a nearby alley on East Second Street that has collapsed.Edwards said the contract for the work was awarded to Ratfliff Brothers, which submitted the lowest bid for the work. Three contractors submitted bids, the highest being $101,000.n Approved the purchase of a brush mower for $2,800, which will be used to mow residential properties that are untended.Bradley said most of the properties the city cuts the grass for are unoccupied, and the city bills the owner or places a lien on the property bills are unpaid.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.